Getting license soon, any random ideas for stereo setup and design

[gadgeteer123 21]

So I am finally getting my license back april 19th after losing it in october for dumb reasons. While I have been suspended I have been uprading my subwoofer, from a 15" kove Armageddon original 1999 subwoofer, to my great 15" ssa xcon. Its only being powered by my hifonics 1610d at 1600rms at 1 ohm, its sounds good, but it distorts to easy for my tastes. I don't even think it pushed my kove to its full potential even that it did suck the roof in on my moms wagon. but anyways, I was just putting this up for some ideas and random thoughts on my soon to be stereo system. I havent heard really loud music in months. This system has been in the process of being upraded for the last year, so some parts aren't of the best quality and some are. The head unit is a kenwood excelon x991, my front speakers are polk db 4x6 powered by headunit my rear speakers are polk momo 6x9's powered by a 4x100rms crunch amp, i am using monster cable rca cables, 0 gauge power wire and the big 3, with my xcon in the rear, of my 92 buick century station wagon. I'm just looking for any ideas or tips to making this setup as good as possible (don't suggest new speakers or amps cuz I don't have the money for that i'm looking for cheap setup ideas), I do plan on upgrading my subs amp, my speakers amp, and my front speakers down the road, but that will be a long while, and I am saving up to buy a late 90's cadillac devile. So post away I do know quite a bit about car audio but this is just for conversation something to kill my boredom, with no license..

[akrod2as 2]

So I am finally getting my license back april 19th after losing it in october for dumb reasons. While I have been suspended I have been uprading my subwoofer, from a 15" kove Armageddon original 1999 subwoofer, to my great 15" ssa xcon. Its only being powered by my hifonics 1610d at 1600rms at 1 ohm, its sounds good, but it distorts to easy for my tastes. I don't even think it pushed my kove to its full potential even that it did suck the roof in on my moms wagon. but anyways, I was just putting this up for some ideas and random thoughts on my soon to be stereo system. I havent heard really loud music in months. This system has been in the process of being upraded for the last year, so some parts aren't of the best quality and some are. The head unit is a kenwood excelon x991, my front speakers are polk db 4x6 powered by headunit my rear speakers are polk momo 6x9's powered by a 4x100rms crunch amp, i am using monster cable rca cables, 0 gauge power wire and the big 3, with my xcon in the rear, of my 92 buick century station wagon. I'm just looking for any ideas or tips to making this setup as good as possible (don't suggest new speakers or amps cuz I don't have the money for that i'm looking for cheap setup ideas), I do plan on upgrading my subs amp, my speakers amp, and my front speakers down the road, but that will be a long while, and I am saving up to buy a late 90's cadillac devile. So post away I do know quite a bit about car audio but this is just for conversation something to kill my boredom, with no license..

lol

[gadgeteer123 21]

yes i'm this bored. town of 721 ppl no car no way to get to a job, so no job, so what else is there to do....

[Notorious on mobile 0]

Use your amp to power the front speakers. You don't need rear speakers, they can't improve your system.

[gadgeteer123 21]

my back speakers have a better response, and sound cleaner, plus my amp would be a lil overkill for my 40rms front speakers. My front speakers lack midbass anyways, i love my back speakers. Plus when I did have louder front speakers in my old car i still like the fill in sound in the back plus my back passengers sure appreciate it, and doesn't the extra surface area of speakers add a few db's to it to help with the extreme bass thats pounding.

[akrod2as 2]

my back speakers have a better response, and sound cleaner, plus my amp would be a lil overkill for my 40rms front speakers. My front speakers lack midbass anyways, i love my back speakers. Plus when I did have louder front speakers in my old car i still like the fill in sound in the back plus my back passengers sure appreciate it, and doesn't the extra surface area of speakers add a few db's to it to help with the extreme bass thats pounding.

If you knew what you were doing you'd know you don't want to be able to "hear" your rears.

[ABXX49 20]

How about taking your rears and moving them to the front on a custom baffle. That way you'll have the larger, louder speakers in the front and you can finally ditch the rears.

[CadillacMatt 31]

721 people wow I thought my town of 5,000 was small lol

[Sir-Lancelot 216]

721 people wow I thought my town of 5,000 was small lol

In San Antonio?

BTW, your avitar made me lol. Memories of my old school MTV days.

[CadillacMatt 31]

Hehe I actually live in a little town called Schertz just on the outskirts of San Antonio, but I spend 95% of my time traveling in and around SA and besides, if I put Schertz nobody would have a clue where I was at

And lol at the avatar I was watching a Rick Astley interview the other day and I had to go watch his music videos again

[gadgeteer123 21]

but what about my passengers in the back, and this wagon is my moms car. I have read about the rears being useless in some threads, but I haven't been able to test this without a car, but in my mind I don't get how no rears is helpful. what does it do that makes it so great, and what about those songs that where designed for a quad stereo setup. You know those songs that make it sound like something is going around you in a circle. i'm just curious.

[NB50 206]

With the exception of SACD and DVD-A I have never seen multichannel music (I'm not counting the quadraphonic either), let alone multichannel in a car. CDs are 2 channels. If you have ever sat in a decently set up car stereo with only fronts, the music engulfs you and sounds like it is everywhere.

[gadgeteer123 21]

well I like my stuff to look stock, and i was playing in my moms car today which has polk db front speakers and infinity speakers from the 90's in the back and when i turned it to only the front it didn't sound as rich and full anymore. and there was some music made in the 80's that was designed four car speakers to manipulate your ears into thinking something was circling around you. it wasn't really going around but it sounded like it. My mom, me and my friends have all heard it. and it only works in cars and quad stereo setups.

[NB50 206]

What are the tracks from the 80's?

My front only setup does "manipulate your ears into thinking something was circling around you".

One specific track I like to play to demonstrate it is Tool - ions.

[altoncustomtech 773]

The music sounding like it's circling around on stereo speakers is caused by a phasing effect during recording. I used to have a graphics demo that ran in dos that started with a big space ship coming straight at you and as it passes over you could hear it fly by like it went right over your head. Same principal, different application. There's many songs out there that do that, some are more noticeable than others. Creed has a song that does it as well. Regardless, ALL the recordings on CD, MP3, AAC, whatever the source is, is recorded in stereo and stereo only AND you only have stereo output capability on the HU. The fader is only to balance or adjust the level of the relationship between the front and rear speakers, not surround sound front and rear.

[gadgeteer123 21]

i know its only stereo, but why when i play around with it today did it sound dull without the back speakers? and these are old 90's back speakers to. I will try it when i get my own car again so then i can get nicer front speakers but right now its my moms car with cheap polk db's in it.

[gadgeteer123 21]

at least she lets me put my xcon in it :)

[Nirvalica 0]

Here is a track that demonstrates that you only need two speakers to get a surround sound effect.

I just uploaded this, so someone please let me know if the link works.

The track is from the Chesky Audiophile Test Disc Vol. 2. The Track is 47. General Image and Resolution Test in 192khz mp3 format (just for ease of upload and download)

In the beginning of the track, it should sound like a tribal "band" is approaching you from out in the woods. They then go to the right of you and proceed to dance around you before leaving to the right and disappearing into the woods. At the end, you'll hear one of them go through and slam a door in the distance. (how tribal people have doors in the middle of the forest is beyond me)

Check it out. I've only listened to it with my two studio monitors on my desk. I would imagine the effect would be more pronounced with headphones.

Edited March 19, 2010 by Nirvalica

[gadgeteer123 21]

well i tried the mp3 and i was using my 12 inch 3-way 100 watt house speakers that are placed in the 2 front corner of my living room, and i could barely even notice the effect it more sounded like it was going from right to left, so idn, i will go dig around later for it.

[TRP 42]

On my headphones i could hear it, now what were you looking to do with the car? Make it hit harder, or just sound better with what you have? You can always try a new box design. And maybe running the amp to the front also, even though they are only 40W it should really help it out. But good luck with it.

[gadgeteer123 21]

I already have audible customs building me a great enclosure with windows on it, but I just wanted to know of any ways to make it sound cleaner and more accurate with deeper bass with what I already have. thanks for all your replys i didnt think to try the mp3 on headphones i will edit this post of I can hear it.

[Nirvalica 0]

I'd get some sound deadener. It's not too expensive, like $15-$20 for a dynamat door kit. Makes a noticeable difference in sound quality.

[gadgeteer123 21]

Ive always wanted to get deadner but this is my moms station wagon, I have used some cheap menards deadner for a house in the rear hatch that my mom had in the basement, but I don't want to put money into my moms car I'm waiting for my own car to go that extensive, i'm looking for ideas that won't cost me more than $50 tops. If its good as is let me know.

[Duran 387]

That deadener is asphalt. Don't put that in there.

[gadgeteer123 21]

not that kind, its that tinfoil bubble wrap, that is supposed to be equivalent to a hollow 4 inch thick wall with drywall on each side, i know its not much but it was in the basement and free for me, so i used it and it did help a little I put 2 layers in the hatch and one layer one the sides. i'm poor at the moment.